Seasoned With Salt!

Today we will seek the wisdom of God found in Christ words in Matthew 5: 13 which reads:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt looses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

Jesus was a master at using ordinary things that the people understood in their everyday life to explain Gods truths. So something as simple as everyday salt could speak to His expectations of his followers in their new life as servants of the Most High God!

The most common use for salt then and today is as a condiment or flavoring added to our food to enhance the taste. It was also used as a preservative, since there was no refrigeration in Jesus’ time, salt was used to keep food, especially meat from spoiling for longer periods of time.

Now for some little know facts about salt that will help to explains Jesus’ comparison. Salt was not readily available in Jesus’ time and was mostly harvested from the Red Sea Salt. Because of its scarcity it was a precious commodity; so much so that the Romans used it at times as a form of currency to pay their soldiers.

Salt is an enduring mineral that can’t spoil. Did you know that it is virtually impossible to destroy the savor or “saltiness” of salt? It can be subjected to high temperatures and never lose its flavor. Because of its physical quality of purity, salt can be used as a disinfectant because germs can’t live in it. And finally our human bodies cannot live without it; it plays an essential role in preserving us alive!

What correlations can we draw today? First of all, just as salt is precious so too are we in the sight of the Living God. For 2 Peter 2:9 declares:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Yes, we are precious with a purpose! Just as salt changes the overall taste, enhances the flavor when it is added to food, we also should change the lives of all we touch for Christ through our testimonies and how we live!

Secondly, just as salt is pure; we also are called to be pure. Referring to Jesus’ role in salvation we are told in Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Our call to purity is about striving to live right before God and men. We must not allow ourselves to be corrupted and spoiled by the things of this world. Would this not have a profound impact on the lives of others? Seeing God manifested through your life would glorify and honor our Lord and could result in others being preserved alive!

And finally, just as salt preserves things it comes into contact with, God is using His Saints to preserve alive this generations by being the witnesses to His manifold grace and mercy – through preaching the gospel!

Now there is one thing that does make salt lose its “saltiness’ – when it chemically reacts with other compounds. Jesus in this passage was concerned about His followers losing their ability to impact others for him; about becoming impure, soiled by exchanging God’s standard for the world’s values – this can happen when we mix with the world and compromise our walk with God. That is when we lose our flavor Saints, when we are no longer useful to God for His purposes.

Are you the salt of the earth that Jesus spoke of? Does your life impact others and point them toward God? Do you sprinkle their lives with His truths such that they are preserved unto God? We know that only God can save, but we are called to be the salt – that is precious, pure, preserving and a catalyst for change for the Lord to this generation!

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Colleen Holton and Psalms of Praise Womens' Ministry- My Daily Bread, 2011-2017: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Colleen Holton and Psalms of Praise Womens' Ministry - My Daily Bread, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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